Whether students or professionals, everybody needs a portable device to perform a number of tasks — a quick presentation, video call, or even watching a movie, you name it. But wait, why buy a tablet when you have a smartphone? While a smartphone is highly portable and offers powerful performance, tablets come with a bigger display, providing you with more workspace.
Now, choosing between mobile phones and tablets is confusing as you have to compromise on some features with each of them. But which features are must-haves for you, and which one can you kiss goodbye? In this article, I will compare tablets vs. smartphones in terms of what they have to offer, their benefits, and their drawbacks.
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Reasons Why Tablets Are Better Than Smartphones!
Let’s discuss in detail what are the key differences between a smartphone and a tablet, what can you do on a tablet, and how it is a better gadget to have:
1. Bigger Display, More Entertainment
Tablets feature a bigger display than smartphones, ranging from 7-inch to 12-inch. Naturally, videos and other multimedia is more enjoyable on a larger display. Not to forget, the size of a tablet almost matches that of a real book, meaning you get a fantastic reading experience with tablets, whether it’s eBooks, comics like manga, articles, or even documents.
2. Why Carry A Laptop?
Nearly all tablets come with magnetic ports that allow you to connect a keyboard cover easily. So if you are looking for a device that you can use as a portable laptop, the tablet is definitely a go-to machine for you.
With smartphones, you are stuck only with wireless keyboards, and even then, the experience is not the same due to the size difference between the phone and keyboard.
3. Your Personal Notebook and Canvas
Tablets come with stylus support which makes a huge difference. If you’re making quick notes or creating a graphic design. These days, styluses such as Apple Pencil and S-Pen are packed with functionalities that enhance the overall touchscreen experience.
Yes, you can use the capacitive stylus to make notes on a smartphone, but again, with the limited display size, the experience is not that great, especially for digital artists, students, and professionals.
4. Better Video Calling Experience
Without a doubt, tablets are far better when it comes to video calling experience. Yes, the camera quality may not be as high in some mid-range sub $300 tablets, but they are designed to perform meetings, video conferences, and Skype calls.
Many leading tablet manufacturers now include a 4K video calling capacity. The larger display plays its part, while a better mic setup records every bit of your voice, giving you a mind-blowing video calling and video recording experience for podcasts, webinars, etc.
Except for some entry-level models, tablets are equipped with GPS antennas meaning you can use them for navigation. With a bigger display, it’s a different experience than you have with a smartphone. And if you’re a pilot, you can also consider the iPads for ForeFlight.
6. Also, Make Your Calls
Unlike the first generation of tablets that only supported wireless networks, these days, using tablets as phones is quite possible with the latest cellular antennas, including 5G support.
Using a tablet as a phone is quite common these days, and if you want a device for that purpose, you can choose tablets with SIM Card slots instead of WiFi-only tablets. You can make calls, use mobile internet, send texts to your friends and family, etc.
7. Bang for the Buck
Now comes the most important part – The price. Tablets are more affordable devices compared to smartphones. A flagship smartphone may cost you up to $1400, while a high-end tablet with near similar specifications will cost you $700-900.
8. Multitasking on A Different Level
The multitasking experience is way better on a tablet due to the larger work area. You can have multiple windows and still be able to see everything on each of them. Smartphones may offer split-screen, but considering the display size, the feature is rather useless.
9. Productivity Apps on Bigger Display
Productivity tools and apps are much more convenient on tablets as they take advantage of the bigger screen and display more data in a single frame. For example, your organizer app can show more of your tasks and appointments, the health app can display all-day activities, and the list goes on.
10. Your Portable Gaming Device
Gaming on a tablet is significantly better than on a smartphone. A large display and better sound quality make gaming worthwhile. Smartphones may offer a very high-end gaming experience as well, but the speakers are not that powerful due to their compact size, and of course, a smaller display is not meant for gaming in the first place.
11. Connect with your TV
With tablets, there are better connectivity options. Some models feature a display port, Thunderbolt, and so on that allows you to project your display on a larger screen such as a monitor or smart TV. (Learn how to connect a tablet to the TV)
With smartphones, you only get a USB Type-C port for sharing and data syncing. You can also use the screencast option to connect them to TV but if you want to project HD content, a tablet provides you with better options such as Samsung DEX.
Differences Between a Smartphone and a Tablet
Both smartphones and tablets hold their unique characteristics and advantages, and both target different classes of users. But what is the difference between a smartphone and a tablet? Let’s look at the key contrasting features of smartphones and a tablet.
1. Screen Size
The first and most visible difference is the display size. A traditional smartphone comes with a display of 5 to 6.5-inch while tablets feature a larger one ranging from 8-inch to 12-inch. A larger display offers better productivity, better multimedia, video call, and a gaming experience.
2. Portability
Yes, tablets are significantly bigger in size compared to smartphones. While you can carry a smartphone in your pocket, tablets are a bit tricky to carry around. In terms of portability, smartphones are easier to carry.
3. Functionality
Due to bigger displays, tablets may offer better functionality. The apps on tablets can display more content, and you have a larger area to play upon. For example, if you use digital design or editing tools such as Adobe Illustrator, LightRoom, and Procreate (iPads only) on your device, the experience is way better on a tablet than on a smartphone.
The viewing experience changes everything for the tablets. Video games, movies, or live streaming – A tablet gives you a better experience than a smartphone.
4. Battery Life
Due to their large design factor, tablets are capable of packing a larger battery. Usually, they hold a non-removable battery from 6000 mAh up to 10000mAh. However, the larger display eats up more battery on a tablet. Still, you get a better battery life on the tablet compared to an average smartphone.
5. Pricing
As I mentioned above, tablets are considerably cheaper than smartphones. You can get the flagship tablet at a price of around $750-$900, while mid-range tablets range from $300-$500. You can even buy an entry-level tablet for $150-$200.
Smartphones, on the other hand, are more expensive due to their ultra-portable size and the micro equipment used in them. A flagship smartphone may cost you over $1400, while the price of mid-range smartphones varies between $500 and $600.
6. Availability
Smartphones are slightly easier to find on the market mainly because of their popularity and requirement. Tablets are traditionally aimed at students and working professionals, while a smartphone is a common gadget for all.
Pros and Cons of a Tablet
Here are some benefits of tablets as well as the drawbacks:
- Bigger display
- Better connectivity Options
- Great video calling experience
- Perfect for multimedia consumption
- Difficult to carry around
- Limited cellular capabilities
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you wondering why get a tablet over a smartphone? Well, a tablet can be used as a portable laptop with a keyboard. It comes with magnetic ports that you can use to connect the keyboard cover. Smartphones fail to give you a laptop-like experience.
Compared to a smartphone, a tablet is more challenging to carry and may offer compromised performance. Additionally, tablets are more prone to screen damage or accidental drop, which is one of the biggest disadvantages of a tablet.
Due to the portability, size, and accessibility, smartphones are more addictive than tablets. However, tablets are more likely to affect your eyesight due to their larger screen.
Conclusion
This is all for the tablet features and benefits. With the tablets, you get a more professional experience, a great video call experience, a bigger display to work on your presentation on the go, and an overall better cinematic experience (thanks to the bigger display and speakers).
Smartphones are pocket devices that allow you to make calls, use the internet quickly and play games. But if you are looking for a complete device packed with features for all purposes, a tablet is the right option for you.
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